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Missing You Episode 7 Recap

It’s funny how the ratings for Missing You continue to increase inversely proportional to how the excessive dramatics are being toned down. Though I really do believe the ratings are buoyed by a combination of three popular young actors in the lead along with a story that can be quite addicting even if sense took a long walk and still hasn’t returned to the set yet. I like how the mood is toned down significantly now so one can enjoy the visual prettiness without being startled out of the atmospheric melancholy. While I may wish Soo Yeon and Hyung Joon can find their happily ever after away from any unresolved revenge plots, its predicated on my feeling that they have just built up this love for each other that makes so much more sense than being fixated on a short first love that was cruelly cut short. However, this episode makes it clear that Soo Yeon isn’t just scarred by the rape, she is really really angry with Jung Woo for abandoning her at that warehouse.

We kept seeing Jung Woo’s point of view, his fear and his wavering leading him to run away, not to mention the mountains of guilt he’s been living under. This was the first episode that I really understood from Soo Yeon’s perspective – the last image she had of Jung Woo was her calling his name and him running away without once looking back. That giant painful decision haunts her as much as it haunts him. Yes, once she finds out he has been atoning for that for the past 14 years she might be less pissed, but I don’t know how their relationship could or should ever be rekindled. I know the writer wants to sell it, I just don’t connect with it. Hyung Joon and Soo Yeon might be unhealthy in their own world to the exclusion of others, but they have truth and love built up on 14 years of sincerity towards each other.

Episode 7 recap:

Jung Woo asks Soo Yeon to call his name and she obliges. Because, yunno, we girls don’t think it’s weird at all some guy we just met asks us to repeatedly call his name while his back is facing us.

While Jung Woo cries, Soo Yeon remembers calling his name as he ran away from her as she laid on the ground after being raped. Yeah, these two could not be farther apart on the memory scale.

Soo Yeon tearfully stares at Jung Woo’s back and calls his name, but when he turns around she’s smiling and got her game face on. She asks if that’s good and he tries to tell himself that she can’t be Soo Yeon. She asks him out to drink since the mood feels rather that he’s ending things with the Soo Yeon in his memory.

They sit in a pojangmacha and Soo Yeon drinks a shot of soju and remarks that alcohol tastes just like memories, all one flavor. Jung Woo doesn’t drink and confesses that he’s the one shot and drunk singing in the noraebang type. He asks if she sings and what songs she sings? She doesn’t answer and asks if he’s going to arrest her for not answering. She asks if he still thinks she is Lee Soo Yeon? She asks him ti keep pouring her more, perhaps if she gets drunk maybe she’ll admit she is Lee Soo Yeon.

Soo Yeon wonders why he thinks she is like Soo Yeon? Jung Woo says her voice sounds exactly the same when she calls his name, like she’s on the verge of tears. Soo Yeon says he appeared to like Soo Yeon a lot, so why did they break up then? She stares at him.

A man runs out of the rapist’s home screaming and the police are alerted to the scumbag’s murder. The police arrive and the man tells the police chief that the murderer had to be Han Jung Woo. Jung Woo’s partner calls him but he doesn’t pick up. He calls Soo Yeon’s mom who says Jung Woo isn’t home yet. Eun Joo says he’s not at the usual noraebang either.

Soo Yeon notices Jung Woo’s phone ringing continuously and asks why he’s not answering? Jung Woo turns around and asks about her and Harry. She says they have been together since she was young, they were adopted and reborn the day they were adopted. She asks again how Jung Woo split up with Soo Yeon? Jung Woo says it was because he ran too fast. He is very good at running, now and back then. He is number one at running or chasing after criminals. He asks if she’s confused by his answer? Dude, I applaud you for owning up to it in whatever capacity.

Soo Yeon asks if he’s good at fighting? She thinks whomever becomes his girlfriend is very lucky because he would protect her no matter what. Soo Yeon softly calls him Officer Han Jung Woo and then smiles and confesses to being drunk.

Jung Woo drives Soo Yeon home and she apologizes for making Jung Woo more tired. She asks if he’s angry at her and he tells her to stop distracting him. She opens the window to feel the breeze and sticks out her right hand. Jung Woo looks at her and thinks about little Soo Yeon again. Soo Yeon sees a pretty building ahead and says she wants to go there some time.

When Hyung Joon gets home, he sees the shattered glass in the kitchen and goes to clean it up. He sees via the CCTV feed that a car is pulling up outside and knows Soo Yeon is home.

Outside the house, Soo Yeon asks Jung Woo to write his phone number on her palm since she lost her cellphone. Harry is very busy and she needs a friend in Seoul, plus she’s going back to France soon and who knows when she will be back. Since he broke up with his girlfriend, can they meet up sometime at that restaurant she saw. Jung Woo says no and Soo Yeon says they can be secret friends if he feels bad towards Harry. You naughty minx, Soo Yeon.

Jung Woo doesn’t like secrets but Soo Yeon wheedles him to just be her friend. All she needs is one friend and she promises not to tell anyone about tonight since they are now secret friends. Jung Woo remembers Soo Yeon asking them to be secret friends when they were kids. As Jung Woo walks away he gets angry and appears to want to turn back but then he answers a call and finds out about the rapist being offed.

Soo Yeon goes home and finds Hyung Joon riding a bike in the living room. She frets over him because its too dangerous with his leg. He asks where she went. He was worried about her since she wasn’t well earlier when he left the house. Soo Yeon doesn’t answer him and he smiles and says that he’s happy she seems recovered. He wonders why she didn’t answer her phone and Soo Yeon reveals its missing. Hyung Joon tells her to buy a new one tomorrow. Hyung Joon says he can’t use the pool now after what happened to Nurse Hye Mi so he’s decided to ride a bike so he can stay healthy to take care of her.

Soo Yeon suddenly blurts out that she just saw Han Jung Woo, which causes Hyung Joon to pause and he falls off the bike. Soo Yeon quickly runs over to help him. Hyung Joon asks Soo Yeon to get married. She looks stunned and he asks if there is another man she would even consider marrying other than him. She says later and h suggests an engagement first then. This isn’t a spur of the moment thing for him, it’s something he’s wanted since he was 18. No matter when or how, he looks forward to it. He says they can get married after they turn 40 or even 50, he will wait for her.

Soo Yeon says she didn’t meet with Jung Woo because she still likes him. All those people back then, all those memories, she wishes they would all die. Hyung Joon calls her silly, telling her that she’s not Lee Soo Yeon anymore, she’s Zoe now. He tells her to forget again. Soo Yeon apologizes to him, she was just too angry. Hyung Joon softly calls her Korean name “Soo Yeon-ah” and lays his head on her shoulder.

Soo Yeon embraces his shoulder and says sorry again. Hyung Joon reaches out and grabs her hand. Hyung Joon cries and thinks to himself “Han Jung Woo, keep hating him, then it will be fine. It will be fine, right?”

Jung Woo arrives at the crime scene and screams at the dead rapist to tell him where Soo Yeon is. Afterwards he learns the suffocated rapist has injury consistent with a car accident and they are running blood tests.

The captain wants him off this case and Jung Woo promises to stick with the team so he can stay on it. Despite knowing how much he’s been looking for Soo Yeon, he knows its best if Jung Woo isn’t involved. He promises to catch the killer and also seek justice for the drove-off-a-cliff Detective Kim.

Jung Woo broods in the police station and runs into the cleaning lady ahjumma (who is forever and always Beo Jin’s awesome mom from Tamra in my mind). The cleaning lady says she heard about the rapist being killed and offers to gather police files for him when she cleans.

Han Tae Joon gets an update from the police chief about Jung Woo’s current affairs and he asks for the file on the rapist’s death. Ugh, he looks so much like a gopher rat with his new facial hair. So he’s keeping a tab on his son after all. As he arrives at his office, he’s almost mowed down by a guy riding a bike whizzing past him. It’s Hyung Joon and dressed like a teenage bike messenger. Hyung Joon acts all contrite and apologizes to Han Tae Joon. After Han Tae Joon walks away, Hyung Joon’s smile drops and he stares at his half-brother’s departing back intently.

Soo Yeon is at home and finds out about the death of the rapist. She then reads on the internet a post by Jung Woo’s stepmom about wanting to make friends with Zoe the fashion designer. Attached to the post are pictures taken of Soo Yeon and Hyung Joon. Stepmother suggests hanging these pictures in her store and then invites Soo Yeon to come in for a visit. Soo Yeon is pissed to see this.

Jung Woo is going through the evidence when the cleaning ahjumma comes by offering to help. She suggests the rapist was killed by someone he crossed. Jung Woo walks outside and see Soo Yeon outside the police station.

Jung Woo brings her coffee and she sees his toes tapping the ground the same way Soo Yeon used to. She tells him to sit closer to her. He asks why she came and she uses the excuse that someone took secret pictures of her and that is clearly against the law to blackmail her. She shows him pictures of her and Hyung Joon and smirks a little to see Jung Woo affected by seeing it. Jung Woo tells her to find the local police to help her, he’s busy with other things.

Soo Yeon shows her the email letter and he realizes it was written by his stepmother. Jung Woo stares at her and she asks if he knows who that woman is. He agrees to investigate and call her. Soo Yeon grabs his hand to write her new number down on it to contact her after he’s taken care of things for her. Jung Woo’s partner is hiding in the bushes watching and Eun Joo arrives. She’s not happy to see Jung Woo talking with Soo Yeon.

Eun Joo interrupts and hands Jung Woo a bag of food, saying their mom made it for him from the restaurant. Soo Yeon sees the name of the restaurant on the outside of the bag. Eun Joo shoots Soo Yeon derisive looks and Soo Yeon looks uncomfortable and leaves (though she recognizes Eun Joo’s name). Jung Woo chases after Soo Yeon but doesn’t find her. He gets a text from her asking if Eun Joo is his girlfriend, and inviting to meet her outside that restaurant tonight.

Hyung Joon goes to the bank to withdraw a shit load of money. Han Tae Joon hears about this massive withdrawal at his bank and orders Secretary Nam to go down and greet the customer and ask him to withdraw in chunks. Ah Reum is there to wheedle money out of her dad to pay for her study abroad trip and Dad tells her to work at the bank in spare time.

Secretary Nam goes down and sees the customer is Hyung Joon and is uncomfortable with him being here. Secretary Nam asks why he is here and deposited money and now is trying to withdraw it. Secretary Nam says he’s not on anyone’s side, he just needs money. Ah Reum goes down to the bank and sees Hyung Joon there as the rich customer. Hyung Joon spots her as well. Hyung Joon warns Secretary Nam to be careful, he might be the first person Han Tae Joon will get rid of when things start to fall apart.

Soo Yeon tracks her mom down to the restaurant where she works. She sits inside and watches her mom greet the customers. Mom notices Soo Yeon and asks why she hasn’t ordered? The TV turns on and it’s the news about the rapist’s murder. Soo Yeon wonders why Mom watches such depressing news. Mom changes the channel with tears in her eyes.

Soo Yeon wipes her tears and leaves, calling Hyung Joon from outside the restaurant, saying she misses him and asking when they can meet.

Jung Woo goes to find Soo Yeon’s mom and sees her in a daze. He takes her away knowing that she’s in a very sad mood. He buys her ice-cream and puts new shoes on her feet that he got for her. Soo Yeon’s mom tells him that with the death of the rapist, everything is over. She tells Jung Woo to go back to his own family. Jung Woo and Soo Yeon’s mom happily play in the playground.

Jung Woo receives a text on where to meet Soo Yeon. He runs there and stands out in the street. Behind him in the restaurant above is Hyung Joon and Soo Yeon drinking wine. They watch Jung Woo waiting in the cold, shuffling to keep himself warm.

Soo Yeon says she was right, he did come. Hyung Joon asks if she’ll feel better after this. Soo Yeon says this isn’t bad. They toast each other and look out the window. Hyung Joon asks to bet how long Jung Woo will wait. He says 30 minutes while Soo Yeon says 1 hour. The winner has to agree to the winner’s wish. Soo Yeon agrees and her wish is that they return to France.

After some time, Hyung Joon calls Jung Woo and says he is dining with his fiancée and invites Jung Woo to dinner as well. Hyung Joon thanks Jung Woo for taking Zoe to the pojangmacha last night. Soo Yeon tries to grab the phone away but is too late. Jung Woo doesn’t answer and Hyung Joon says next time. Soo Yeon tells Hyung Joon he cheated on their bet. He asks quizzically “wasn’t it your wish to torment Han Jung Woo?” Hyung Joon says his wish for winning this bet she already knows, it’s to get engaged.

Hyung Joon checks his watch and says Jung Woo is waiting for quite a long time. After Jung Woo waits and waits, he suddenly wonders what the heck he’s doing and leaves before 30 minutes as passed.

As Jung Woo runs off, Soo Yeon coldly looks at his departing form and says he hasn’t changed. This is exactly what she saw when he was 15 (always running away so fast). Ouch. Jung Woo, how are you ever going to live this down?

Jung Woo goes to the rapist’s home to search for clues. Seriously? This place is not a taped up crime scene? He looks everywhere and finds a restaurant tag in the washing machine. He goes to the restaurant and interviews the owner who said the rapist ate here and then handed over Hyung Joon’s card saying this guy will pay for his meal. She also heard the rapist use Soo Yeon’s cell phone to call a “Chairman”.

Ah Reum offers to give her mom information in exchange for money for her trip. She reveals she saw Hyung Joon, Zoe’s boyfriend, at the bank depositing a huge sum of money. She tells her mom that Zoe’s sponsor was the guy they saw with her in Jeju. Stepmother is thrilled because now she was just looking for an investor. If she gets Zoe, then her sponsor will come as well. Ugh, these people.

Soo Yeon and Hyung Joon are at home sitting on the sofa. She has her legs resting on his comfortably. Soo Yeon asks who he invited for the upcoming party? Hyung Joon says his usual clients and a new investor. Soo Yeon says wine is perfect for the party, but then suggests soju as well. She smacks her lips adorably and says it taste good, sweet and clean. She asks Hyung Joon to go with her to the pojangmacha tonight. Hyung Joon sighs and says he is never ever going to a pojangmacha in this lifetime. Soo Yeon laughs and says he sure is good at pretending since he acted all fine that day but he is clearly angry. Soo Yeon aegyos him and puts her head on his shoulder.

Hyung Joon shows her an email he received with an outfit from her fashion show hanging in the store window mannequin of Jung Woo’s stepmother’s boutique. Soo Yeon is furious.

Jung Woo tracks down the street camera footage from the accident where Hyung Joon and Soo Yeon’s car ran into the rapist. He freeze frames on Soo Yeon’s face and he can see her abject fear and realizes that she is in fact Soo Yeon and must’ve recognized the rapist. Jung Woo sits in his car and looks at the picture of young Soo Yeon and asks if Zoe really is her?

Soo Yeon is on the street staring at the store window with her design in it (she’s also wearing the same pale grey coat Moon Chae Won sported a few weeks ago in the final episode of Nice Guy). Suddenly Jung Woo appears before her with her old yellow umbrella. He asks if he’s late for their date? He tells her that it’s not raining today.

Soo Yeon tries to excuse herself saying she’s busy today. Jung Woo chases after her and offers to go with her. Soo Yeon asks what he’s doing, telling him that she’s about to get engaged. Jung Woo asks her where she is going and if she really dislikes him that much?

Hyung Joon drives up and from his driver’s seat he can see Jung Woo talking with Soo Yeon under the yellow umbrella. Soo Yeon tells Jung Woo to scram but he suggests that being secret friends isn’t exciting enough, how about they be secret lovers? Soo Yeon stares at him as the yellow umbrella descends and blocks them from Hyung Joon’s view.

Thoughts of Mine:

I have to say that adult Jung Woo is really much much more interesting than his childhood counterpart. I’d say all the guilt and self-flagellation did him some good in giving him more depth. He’s a good guy who made one super bad choice in life at a young age and has been doing everything right since them to atone for it. How can I not root for him to get absolution. I do, however, think that his absolution needn’t come in the form of getting all romantic with Soo Yeon again. His absolution needs to come in the form of punishing the people who committed a series of crimes that set up the tragedy in question. The person most responsible would be his own father. If Han Tae Joon hadn’t tried to kill Hyung Joon, then Hyung Joon’s mom wouldn’t have ordered Jung Woo’s kidnapping to do a son-for-son trade. If Han Tae Joon hadn’t tried to track down Hyung Joon and called Nurse Hye Mi, Hyung Joon wouldn’t have tried to stall Detective Kim so they could get away, thinking he was one of Han Tae Joon’s goons. Everything starts and ends with Han Tae Joon, and I want to see Jung Woo be the person in the capacity of a police officer to put that bastard away.

I’m surprised at how Soo Yeon could toy with Jung Woo, until I realized the full extent of her concealed bitterness towards him. Her one snipe that he should not have abandoned his girlfriend shows us that young Soo Yeon truly felt like Jung Woo let her down completely back in that warehouse. While its understand we as viewers could understand how a 15 year old boy in a life-and-death situation could run away, imagine being Soo Yeon and laying there and being left behind. Yeah, not so easy for her to be all objective and step into Jung Woo’s shoes, no? I appreciate that she and Hyung Joon have such an open line of communication that she tells him immediately about seeing Jung Woo and apologizing for being so angry and not being able to truly let go. Hyung Joon both lets her do what she wants (make Jung Woo wait out in the cold for her), while subtly encouraging her to let go for both her sake and his sake. If she lets go, then she can start moving on from the lingering pain. Then his relationship with her would be able to take the next step forward. I really loved the juxtaposition of Soo Yeon’s tense toying interactions with Jung Woo and her relaxed and tender moments with Hyung Joon. I totally feel for Hyung Joon’s fear that Jung Woo will return and take Soo Yeon away, because dude which boyfriend wouldn’t have issues with that. But hopefully he’ll continue to let Soo Yeon make her own choices in life while he does his best to show that he’s the one for her.

I was really stupefied by all the non OT3 stupid scenes in this episode. The rapist investigation was beyond silly, what with Jung Woo doing a search of the scene himself and the cleaning lady ahjumma giving him pointers. I don’t get Hyung Joon’s revenge on Han Tae Joon either, and why that needed him to dress like a hipster and accidentally brush past him on a bike. Poor Eun Joo is like the drama world’s most invisible second female lead, and honestly she’s totally uninteresting so I could care less. I like Jung Woo’s police colleagues and I love his interactions with Soo Yeon’s mom. At this point, I not only ship Soo Yeon-Hyung Joon, I also ship Soo Yeon’s mom with Jung Woo. Not in a romantic sense (ewwww), but more like she needs to adopt him for realz and they can be the world’s most functional and supportive mother-son duo. It’s sad Soo Yeon never experience that kind of affection from her mom but I’m sure she would want her mom to find peace in her own life. I still think Soo Yeon needs to hie herself back to France where she can anonymously send money to her mom every week. Hyung Joon will also do better spending the boatloads of money his mother gave her life to give him rather than risking his wellbeing for revenge on Han Tae Joon. And finally – raise your hand if you are absolutely fascinated by the lipstick colors used in this drama? Yoon Eun Hye‘s cherry and magenta tinted lips are gorgeous. But I wish the makeup artist would lay off on using the exact same color on both Yoochun and Yoo Seung Ho, with the former really caking it on in some scenes that it totally distracts me.

I’m thinking the cleaning lady in the police head quarters. Why would they thrown in a character like that for no reason – and she has this mysterious wound on her hand. It would be too boring if it were HanTaeJoon, too easy if it were Harry and far too contrary to character description to be SY. You need a different kind of metal to soak a man in dry ice.

Koala, thank you so much for picking up these recaps even though I know it’s your love for Soo Yeon and Hyung Joon driving it! 🙂 I have to admit; I do love those two together (who would have thought given the age differences of the two actors) although Mickey is doing WONDERFUL as Jung Woo. He has come so far from his S. Scandal drama days. 🙂

Thank you! This is drama is really interesting but only for its three leads, like you said anything else seems extremely stupid! It’s like the writer wrote the drama with the leads in mind and then manipulated the events around them which doesn’t even make sense! Anyways, from your screen caps Yoo seung ho looks gorgeous and it’s extremely distracting! I may watch this drama after it airs, even if only his scenes 😉

Starting to agree with you – I now want both Harry and Zoe/Joy/SY to get on a plane back to where ever asap and play games with someone else. Thank God Jung Woo has people around him who love & care for him and will protect him from their stupid games. The whole scene where they watch him from the bar (almost like 2 children with a magnifying glass watching an ant hill) made me sick. URG.
Go get on a plane and get married/engaged or whatever. Just go.

I felt the same way. I was like, “Man these guys are sick…” while watching the whole scene play out especially the part when they bet on how long Jung Woo would last. Of course this scene also got me hooked seeing how Su Yeon and Harry turned out to be so twisted, I was like “hell yeah, we’re going psychological folks…” I’m not shipping any couple yet since I’m more interested with the way the story is unfolding and I would like to keep an open mind as to how things goes. It’s really just interesting to see how normal Jung Woo’s character is compared to the two who’s practically brimming with the crazy (and bitterness and anger too) and being barely able to keep it in. I’m not hating on these two though I actually find it better that the two turned out to have strong character as adults (externally at least) and not be doormats especially after all they’ve been through. Nevertheless, whether or not it’s with Su Yeon, I want Jung Woo to have a happy ending.

I totally agree w/ you on the JW’s part. SY & HJ can have their happily ever after ( because 14 yrs of courtship is hard to let go especially when a guy like HJ is satisfying enough). JW’s character is such a realistic guy (unlike other lead where they can beat 20 men all by themselves). JW just need to put all the bad guy(his dad for the most part)to jail….that to me is his redemption from running away to fast.

Was just thinking to myself that both Harry and Zoe have such kissable lips and bam right at the end I read you noticed it too….super distracting! Yes the scene from the glass restaurant feels so manipulative like a scene right out from Dangerous Liaisons. It does feel that the writer is writing melo to get audience hooked and making us suspend our disbelief at the ludicrous plot. Hate to admit but it worked largely cos of the beautiful actors. I am so into shipping Harry and Zoe right now. Looking forward to your next recap Ms Koala! YEH is amazing she has chemistry with anyone even a rock…she makes all her male co stars look so good!

I wonder what HJ is doing? What is his plan to take down HTJ? At this point his actions don’t make sense to us, however I am sure that everything will be explained in the coming episodes (hopefully).

I don’t really understand why SY is literally toying with JW. I understand her bitterness towards him, and I confess it makes me feel more hopeful for our SY/HJ couple, however I felt a bit bad for JW.

I agree that SY needs to let go of her past pain, so that she and HJ can move forward with their relationship. HJ knows this, and we can see it from his subtle actions. I too love how comfortable HJ/SY are together, they are like an old couple who still have the great chemistry of a new couple. SY is so sweet and unguarded when she is with HJ.

I agree so much with this part of your recap about JW, and I quote: “He’s a good guy who made one super bad choice in life at a young age and has been doing everything right since then to atone for it. How can I not root for him to get absolution. I do, however, think that his absolution needn’t come in the form of getting all romantic with Soo Yeon again.”

I also agree that I too feel that the storyline right now is sort of weak or maybe it’s not making a lot of sense to me, and is simply a vehicle for the 3 main leads. The other characters seem like they’re just there for the ride. However it is good that the 3 main leads are interesting, so far.

Thank you Koala for the recaps…I was so impatient that I just watched it raw on dramacrazy …and your recap is just a God sent….
Omo Omo…there are sparks flying between SY and JW! I cannot wait for their first kiss! We all know that my girl YEH does not shy away from kisses…
My crush PYC is doing an absolutely fantastic job..I’m so proud of him
This episode definitely belongs to him…His character is so real and raw…I’m delighted.
SY maybe rightfully mad at him for abandoning her at a crucial moment of her life, but it seems that she’s attracted to the adult JW…
I have a feeling that she’s using the excuse of torturing him to be near him again…
I cannot wait for tomorrow….this is torture…

I get why SY/JW is an unnecessary trip down Memory Lane, but I don’t understand why she needs to be with HJ, for whom she has no romantic feelings. YSH can cast all the sultry gazes he can conjure but I never once got the feeling that SY was into him in that way.

This writing is just so ugh. I’m starting to think all the beautiful character nuance is coming from the actors themselves. The stepmother decides on one glance, apparently without properly investigating, that Zoe is having an affair with Harry and then decides she will blackmail based on this? Are we supposed to buy that she owns a successful business when the writer paints her as
someone who is so stupidly careless?

I do understand Zoe’s fascination with JW considering he was her big crush at 15 and a lot of her emotional development seems stuck at that age. But I fear that the writer is headed down the road of making it all “go away” when she learns she wasn’t as completely abandoned as she thought. If the writer slides her into a relation with JW then abandons Harry because he is “evil” Iam so done with this drama.

“I do understand Zoe’s fascination with JW considering he was her big crush at 15 and a lot of her emotional development seems stuck at that age. But I fear that the writer is headed down the road of making it all ”go away” when she learns she wasn’t as completely abandoned as she thought. ”

This is the premise of the drama
Its a traditional first love melodrama

“The drama revolves around a guy and a girl, who both experience a painful end to their first loves at the tender age of 15, and then meet again as adults by playing game of love hide and seek.”

Pretty sure they’re gonna “redeem” Jung Woo in Soo Yeons eyes by making him stick his neck out for Soo Yeon when she gets accused of murder in addition to repenting for the last 14 years.

you are (probably) going to be sorely disappointed

I don’t think the writer will abandon harry because he’s evil.
but Yoo Seung Ho signed up to play a dark character. I don’t think they’re going to have him become the typical “evil” bad guy but i can already see the writer has laid foundations for his character to become darker.
He’s out for revenge and if he thinks Soo Yeon is slipping away from he will probably succumb to his fear of being alone.

Very well said…Most people are forgetting the premise of the drama and hoping for a miracle of the1st female lead/ 2nd male lead ship…And unless PYC lost all his millions of highly vocal fans, that ain’t happening.
Besides, Yoo Seung Ho did indeed sign up to play a dark character, and I’m sure he’s enjoying it , but it seems like most of his fans are not aware of that, otherwise I don’t understand why they will ship his dark character with SY…
I admit that their chemistry is off the chart, but to me it seems very platonic and innocent, like a brother and sister kind of closeness…and I don’t think she sees him as a romantic partner…Clues: when he said they were fiances, she was taken aback; when he proposed marriage, she was clearly reluctant…However, she seems to use those titles when it suit her purpose, especially and specifically with JW just to taunt him…and that’s the whole premise of the drama…first loves reuniting after 14 years and playing hide and seek…
And Missy SY had already started the game (watching him waiting for her and having fun of it with Harry)…little mischievous Zoey…
Personally, I wish the game will only be between her and JW; I don’t like Harry being part of it…he feels like an intruder, and I’m afraid that will fuel his jealousy more…and drive him into the dark character we are about to see…
Anyway, I’m absolutely loving the drama, and rooting for my OTP SY/JW.

errr….This is a reply meant sogazelle. it’s not that we’re forgetting the cliched premise of this drama of first love and stuff, it’s just that we have the right to dream – and in our dream the true OTP is Harry/Zoe 🙂

I understand the original purpose of the drama (but I have seen those plot lines revamped on fly) I’m just saying that the writer is not giving their romance a solid (or even believable) foundation. Or are supposed to believe in this “fated” romance because it was written into the drama description?

I COMPLETELY agree with you. I’ve seen so many posts going on about the SY/HJ that it’s starting to get tiring. It really kills the atmosphere because it feels like these people are talking about another drama entirely instead of this one.

There are a lot of clues left by the writer to indicate that the feelings that SY has to HJ doesn’t equal HJ’s feelings towards her’s. She relies on him as her sole emotional support (notice how she immediately calls him after seeing her mom when she felt so alone) and her interactions with him, while sweet and caring do no indicate that she considers him as a lover/feels passion. It’s a rather strange mix of sisterly/close friend/motherly love.

On the other hand, HJ totally sees her as his mate and lover.

Obviously their relationship wouldn’t be easily identifiable given the unique circumstances of how they met and their lives right now. And I can understand how people can just view them as the true couple but their entire relationship has been built on a house of sand. It wouldn’t be right if they got together in the end because for one, SY will forever be haunted by her past (even when she was at the airport she was so scared to be in an unfamiliar place) and HJ by his (of losing his mother and the anger he has towards the Chairman).

JW on the other hand has been given the better hand in life because he has a normal life and family and friends and he’s emotionally all right (except when it comes to SY and his guilt towards her). He’s functioning well. It was SY that abandoned her family and life thus her constant feeling of alienation in korea. SY has never let JW go from her heart. Even though she feels a lot of anger at him, he’s very much present in her mind and it shows in her actions and how she responds to him. She for sure still have strong feelings for him, it’s not the same as when she was 15, but they’re strong and DEFINITELY not a sisterly/friend/motherly mix.

obviously I’m with OTP of SY/JW …their history and connection and the potential that awaits their relationship is fascinating and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds. 🙂

@Sarah, we’re feeling SY/HJ more than SY/JW, is that wrong? We think SY and HJ has more chemistry together than SY and JW, are we wrong? We feel happy watching SY and HJ being happy together and want that happiness to last, can’t we? Does everything needs reasoning anyway? We feel what we feel, we like what we like. I know Seungho agreed to do this drama to play a bad guy, but I can’t help liking him with SY more. Oh well, your OTP is the OTP. That’s why i stopped watching this drama already and will settle with Koala’s recaps only. I must say though, people need to respect others’ opinion and preference.

Well then I think u should respect others’ opinion and preference too. As much as u feel happy watching SY and HJ, I also feel happy to see SY and JW together.No one is wrong.Too bad if u drop the drama because u can’t stand seeing our OTP.

i love your recaps!! and yeah i totally agree that some parts of the drama dont make sense and i honestly hope that SY ends up with JW because i feel that SY even though shes bitter bc he left her …i think that she still finds it hard to let him go…Anyways i hope that JW and SY end up together and Harry ends up with someone too since i love his character too. ;]

Suddenly i have this urge hoping the final will exactly be the same with the memory shown in first episode. I hope this will be like The Hunger Games with two dysfunctional people, gone through so much pain together can be together and find love. Maybe they can reminisce Han Jung Woo while living together. Haha.

Actually I’m tired watching the same plot in almost all dramas. The girl wanted revenge. Still hang up to the past. Currently in relationship with new boy. But finally realized the boy isn’t all to blame. Fall in love again because they ‘deserve’ to be together. Can’t they be more creative?

Can anybody give suggestion any movie or drama(be in any language, i dun mind as long as there are subtitles) that the 2nd lead get the girl or the boy?

Ugh. I was thinking the same thing. Does he have to get the girl, just because he’s the main lead? Truthfully, I love their current functional families.
SY and JW havnt spent any time together after that horrific event. This is a line for another drama (Can We Get Married?) but its so true: Its not love that changes, its people who do. or something like that.
And that event plus the 14 years theyve spent apart does alot to a person. Its obviously SY know isn’t the girl she was 14 years ago, and neither is JW. Its true they both need to clarify things and have closure, but only so they can move on with their live.

YEH is so beautiful especially up close … wow those full lips waiting to be kissed hehehe by these two gorgeous gentlemen and her expressive eyes that can melt and the skin oh so fair and flawless…..
the way the drama is going is just perfect you can feel all the emotions from each character that you can’t wait for the next episode..

I totally agree with you Mrs. Koala. I dont think it’s not necessary for HJW and LSY to rekindle their brief romantic relationship. True, both of them are tied with one common emotional scar but what Harry and Zoe have is not something that can be thrown off out of the window either. I think it would make more sense if LSY resolve her issues with HJW and then move forward with her life. Her future (that is, KHJ).

But I’m pretty sure that LSY is not going to end up with KHJ. Ugh you two. Why don’t you just go back to Paris and make pretty babies there?!

Even thought the plot does seem contrived at times, I am all about the characters. If the plot is superb but the characters are cold and feeble, there is no point. Even if the plot is not the strongest, but the characters are interesting and strong then the story is elevated. That was my problem with Nice Guy; it was a great story, very written well, but I didn’t care for of any the characters. They all somehow fell flat. But with Missing You, all three protagonists have not only quite interesting psyches, but they “feel” real and one can’t help but wonder how their lives will unfold.

I so totally agree with you Jen…No matter how good the story is if the actors are not, well you just wouldn’t watch it…It is the actors that make the story interesting and this is true with IMY (all actors are excellent) so while there are few negative comments which we can’t avoid I am so in it…You keep wanting for more as each episode ends.

the seductive and sensual looks of YEH in this drama is also great …the way she dresses specially the scene where she’s talking to PYC in a bench ..love it … she really want to take revenge and make him fall for her…

Ok – I have a 100 things running through my mind on IMY but not the right words at the moment to express them. So I’ll just say this: can IMY just let the Harry/Zoe couple go out with a bang like they did in the twdrama Fondant Garden with the 2nd lead before the switcheroo happened – with a super hot kiss? 🙂 pleeeasse, Show?

Anyways, the story is really driving me crazy, but the characters are interesting. So for now, I will stick with it. But there is only so much craziness that I can take. I think I’m prepared for anything that they throw at us.

oooh… YSH has started his revenge plan. yippee. I was thinking of SY and how she saw JW run away from her. And of course JW did what any teenager would do, but sadly that is not what SY would have done in the same position.

SY saw him in danger, being kidnapped – any normal teenager would run and find an adult and report it. She didn’t. She very stupidly and extremely bravely ran to save him herself. And i think that’s because she really did love him. She truly didn’t think of her safety first. Especially for a girl who was used to being abused. That was remarkable. Kind of like harry potter. And that’s what a hero is – courage in the face of danger.

I think JW’s actions were even more cowardly in the light of SY’s actions for him. He knew she had come to save him. He had seen her being raped. He knew, she could be raped again or killed if left there – he didn’t even try to get her to wake up. Very un-harry potter like.( 12 year-old Harry potter didn’t run away leaving Ginnie behind in the chamber of secrets, even when Tom riddle said she would be dead soon. )

And then, compare it to the 11 year-old HJ. He knew his leg needed treatment. He knew he couldn’t get out of the country without an adult. And if he didn’t, HTJ would find him and kill him. Yet he wouldn’t leave without SY. He was extremely unkind to her by telling her she was abandoned, but what he said made her “wake” up. (I watched that scene again, and as she was screaming – he was crying in pity.)

So the more I think of it, the less I feel for JW’s character. I’m truly wondering what the writer is trying to show us. Because she purposely put those three children in similar situations and each acted differently. I hope she knows what she is doing and she redeems JW redeem properly.

But PYC is really playing JW very well. So well infact, that I forget JW’s past actions and focus completely on his present angst. I felt so bad when he was waiting for her and they were watching him like puppet masters. A chill went down my spine.

Thank you Ms. Koala. I sincerely appreciate your well written and somewhat “less subjective” recap for this episode, which I haven’t really seen(or felt) in the former episodes. Don’t get me wrong, I’m used to your writing style by this around, it’s just that I feel kinda leery opening a topic thread (esp. in every Missing You thread) with a bunch of childish and hateful comments from some of your followers. I guess more objectivity and positivity attracts positive comments as well? 😉 (Sorry, I don’t even know if that makes sense? LOL. I’m not particularly good with words as you guys are.) But yeah, thanks again.

Plotwise, I think that those random detective-in-action scenes by HJW and his interaction with the cleaning lady will be explained in the later episodes. If the writer is making the character HJW notice every little detail, she might be doing it in this very drama too. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Sigh. HJ (or should I say YSH?) in casual clothes really made him look his age. Can we just keep him in those suits and formal clothes? That way, I won’t feel too guilty crushing on him with the illusion that he’s older than he really is. 🙂

As for my HJW and LSY, I love you both individually but I’m not really on your ship, just yet. You guys have to earn it, so gimme more of your lovey dovey scenes pronto. I can only ship HJW+Mom right now, they’re the next best thing we can get from this drama other than HJW+LSY pre-tragic sequence of events. 🙂

I wish ALL THREE of the characters would get over their troubles and live in peace together but that obviously isn’t happening (Just imagine Jung Woo and Hyung Joon as close brothers…DOUBLE THE CHEEKY).

The characters are written to be so bloody stupid. It’s so weird how Jung Woo legit believes that getting back together with Soo Yeon will solve or redeem anything. It’s almost funny. (Lol @ secret lovers. It’s not secret if Hyung Joon knows before the affair even starts. :P)

Hyung Joon is being a little too pushy for my tastes but I guess it would equally annoy me if he decided to do nothing as Soo Yeon dreamboats herself away from the guy who abandoned her.

On a positive note, I really love the actors. Yoochun has improved mountains and valleys since Sungkyunkwan Scandal and I still love Yoon Eun Hye even after she was in the godawful Lie to Me. My heart was racing whenever she came on screen. ♥_♥ Never seen Yoo Seung Ho before but I like this guy.

hello i want to thank you koala for your recaps that’s the only way i can watch at work hhhhh, the great thing is that i am moroccan and i think im starting to understand korean cause i watched ep 7 raw and yeyyyy i knew what was going on.
i think that HJ is a great character and he’s as important as the 2 leads so le’s see what happens next.

Not watching the drama but simply reading Ockoala’s recaps. Too much melodrama is not good for my wellbeing. Nice Guy just about fills the quota for this year.

Do have one thing to say though, in terms of handsomeness and charisma, Yoo Seung Ho (Hyun Joon)beats Yoochun(Jung Woo) totally hands down. Story wise, can’t imagine anyone could possibly forgive and fall in love again with another person who abandoned and ran away saving his own skin at the most critical moment. If you love someone, it’s better to die together or sacrifice on the other person’s behalf (Maru for example). Anyone who runs away in fear simply do not love the other person enough and therefore not worth a pinch of salt nor a second chance period. Pass and move on.

Hi, I found this site after dropped IMY from their recaps. I have different take then it seems most here.. in that I want SY and JW to end up together. I agree that the drama isn’t written that well, I don’t care about anyone except the three leads and maybe SY Mom…

Thing is, every relationship is screwed up. SY can’t just forget because all this time she’s lived a fake life. HJ has enabled that way of life. So I really can’t be on board with them. For JW and SY, yes he abandoned her, but he was 15.. A child and scared. He obviously regrets that decision and wants to say sorry for that.

Finally, The young JW and SY were so adorable to me. You can call it a crush but in that short time, they developed a deep bond. The fact is, it is about them I just wish they could get past this and find normalcy without the pain.. I don’t know if SY can be fully happy with JW but I’m not sure she can be fully happy with HJ because she’s been hiding herself.

SY needs to stop putting up with this Zoe identity because she doesn’t fit it. It’s like a mask for her. HJ is fine as Harry Borisson but as like he pointed out at one point, SY can’t let go of the past; her traumas and wounds are as fresh as if they had happened recently. All it takes is a strange place and HJ to be absent for her to revert to the way she used to be before: frightened, alone, and calling out and searching for HJ as if her life depended on it.

Thanks Ockoala you are still recapping the drama..just love the 3 actors..and to tell you the truth I am not that fond on melodramas..I missed out on NG because couldn’t stand PSY…but just love this drama because I am drawn to the 3 actors, YEH is my 1st actress …that made me become an addict to Kdrama in Goong and here she is rocking due to her serious acting..I love YSH..in this drama I finally think young boy can be very deliciously attractive and cannot deny he is a very good actor and PYC is giving the best acting ever..I still wavering who is the best OTP..I think now I can feel for JW feelings towards SY..and between HJ/SY is that they are comforting each other for being in their situation which is very traumatizing to young children..I think 1st love is a love that cannot be forgotten even if we do not end up together..so that is how SY are drawn to JW and vice-versa..you’re awesome Thanks..

My current theory is that Harry killed the rapist, but that SY came and found the body but didn’t report it to the police and will become a suspect, leading to a SY and JW on the run plot.

I’m suppose to care who killed the aunt, but I don’t. I am not sure even Harry and SY care that much.

I cringed when Harry tries to kiss SY and she turns away. Oh how evil a crime rape is that it makes being physically intimate difficult for years afterward.

I ached when SY slaps JW and he says that is a start, like no matter how much she abuses him he will take it because he can never forgive himself. If this drama can give JW forgiveness from SY in the end, I will be satisified, but I suspect what the writers have in store is that JW will have to give up his life for SY.

I guess I’m in the minority of not shipping for SY-HJ, though I am not exactly shipping for SY-JW either.

The only thing that is clear to me is that JW made a grave mistake in abandoning SY in her darkest hour. I can see how that would be hard for SY to overcome.

But while it appears that SY-HJ appears to have some sort of functional relationship, one has to wonder if they trust each other so much, why SY never opened up to SJ regarding her rape. Also since as viewers we aren’t exposed to what happened in that 14 year time period it’s really hard to get a sense of whether SY really trusts HJ or it’s being done out of necessity because there isn’t anyone else.

HJ is a complex character to me. While I appreciate his persistence in being there for her when they were young, I also think there is a shade of darkness that he exposed SY over the years. Even when HJ made his mistakes, SY still believed that HJ would return for her. It was only when HJ said “Why can’t you see he abandoned you?” (or something like that) when she really jumped off the JW ship. And even now instead of leting SY heal property by confronting him outright, he’s encouraging her to play those mind games with JW.

So for me, I’m really not on any ship because quite frankly the story, again on purpose I believe, really leaves it ambiguous in terms of who truly has the higher moral ground.

this episode solidified my earlier thoughts: this show is such a rip off of Sarang Bi (aka Love Rain) and i’m not saying that’s a bad thing. from the spending time in the past in the first 5 episodes then jumping to the present to continue the story to the little moment with the umbrella, meeting a lost love after years of separation and not sure if its them as you have aged, so similar yet so different in many other aspects. that being said im so happy i survived the first 5 episodes, it was torture watching all that drama, tragedy, whining, crying and emotional and mental breakdowns. but now it is so much more enjoyable, the tone isnt as dark and yeah someone was murdered but a. he was/is a villain and b. they didnt drag the scene out. when Junh Woo screamed at Soo Yeon “why are you doing this to me” moments earlier i had said the same thing. i thought she’s either torturing him or trying to see if he still cares for her. still dont get why she would do it other than her immaturity and mental instability. i too have suffered many a tragedy really similar to Soo Yeon (which is part of the reason this show resonates with me) but i could never see myself doing the things that she is doing. i doubt she is the killer though. they are making it too obvious for it to be her plus she doesnt have the balls to do it. also the person who killed him had a bad black wig on, soo yeon’s hair is brown and again her mental state is so fragile i dont see her coming up with this elaborate death plan with the disguise, the way of his death, making sure to wear gloves, etc. Harry, im looking at you. never liked that kid no matter how fine he grew up to be